A hernia is the term used to describe the bulging of an internal organ, such as the intestine, through a weakened area of muscle. In the case of an abdominal hernia, the internal organ is protruding through the muscles of the abdomen, also known as abdominal wall muscles; subtypes of abdominal hernias include inguinal hernias and femoral hernias. Treatment for an abdominal hernia often involves surgery--either the older, "gold standard" of open surgery, or the newer, less invasive, laproscopic surgery. Both types of surgery are associated with potential complications.
Bleeding
The patient information page provided by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons explains that the conventional method of hernia repair is to make a relatively long incision in the abdomen, going through layers of skin, fat, and abdominal muscle to access the actual hernia--the part of the intestine that is bulging outward through the abdominal muscles. In laproscopic surgery, a series of much smaller incisions are made. These incisions are used to place a small camera into the abdomen and to allow the surgical instruments to enter the abdomen without making a big incision. Regardless of the method used to repair the hernia, warns the Society for Gastroinstinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, bleeding from the surgery is always a potential risk. If an unusual amount of bleeding does occur, surgeons are prepared and can usually stop the bleeding. However, this is a risk that patients considering hernia repair must be aware of before undergoing surgery.
Infection
When a hernia repair is done, either using the traditional or the laproscopic approach, there is also the possible complication of an infection developing. The incision--or incisions--may become infected if bacteria enters the incision. In addition, the mesh that is placed over the area of the original hernia may also promote the growth of bacteria and cause an infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention enumerate some of the symptoms that may indicate that an infection has developed. These include fever or chills, redness at the site of the incision, and swelling or warmth at the incision site. Another indication that the site of hernia repair has become infected is if the fluid that drains out of the site has a cloudy appearance; this could be pus and suggests that the body is fighting an infection.
Injury to Surrounding Organs
The Society for Gastrointestinal Surgeons and Endoscopic Surgeons, in their patient information website, reminds patients that abdominal hernia surgery may result in the complication of organ damage from the surgery. The blood vessels and nerves around the area of the hernia repair; the bladder; the intestines; and even the kidneys may be damaged during surgery. The National Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse reports that the risk of such damage occurring is very small; however, patients need to know that it is a possible complication.
Reaction to General Anesthesia
Complications associated with general anesthesia, which is the medication used to make a patient unconscious during the course of an operation, is another possible complication of abdominal hernia repair. Common side effects of general anesthesia include nausea and vomiting after the anesthesia has worn off; a sore throat due to the tube used during the operation; and a temporary inability to pass urine--this is called urinary retention. Rarely, a patient may suffer an allergic complications include an allergic reaction to the medications used to produce general anesthesia; stroke or heart attack may also occur in extremely rare cases. These complications are not specific to abdominal hernia repair; they are associated with any surgery in which general anesthesia is being used. However, since general, not local, anesthesia is used for both traditional and laproscopic repair approaches, the patient undergoing either of these options must know that these complications could occur.
